Drug mafia gunning for Rajitha

By Rathindra Kuruwita
Minister of Health Rajitha Senaratne said he expects antagonistic drug mafia factions within the pharmaceutical, tobacco and private hospital industries to launch a campaign to tarnish his image and undermine his health sector reforms.
“My reforms will pit me against those with mala fide vested interests of these industries. In the past, sections of these industries have destroyed those who acted against their interests. They will systematically undermine your credibility. That’s how the drug mafia destroys people. So I have to be ready for that,” Senaratne told Ceylon Today.
He added he has faced a number of challenges in the past and will need the assistance of the media to overcome this future challenge. “Tobacco companies want to meet me, but I have said I can’t. We have signed the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) which prevents me from having any contact with tobacco companies,” he said.
The Minister added that those engaged in fair business practices have no need to fear imminent health sector reforms.